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Sanctuary -Into The Mirror Black 3lp

395.00kr

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SKU: Lp 522a Categories: , , Tag:

Description

30th anniversary triple vinyl release with gatefold cover and lots of bonus material

Sanctuary’s second — and, regrettably, final — album is an oft-overlooked masterpiece, blurring the lines between technical, Bay Area-style thrash, traditional heavy metal, and European power metal. Part of what separates Into the Mirror Black from the rest of the late-’80s/early-’90s pack is its relentless adherence to memorable songcraft; relatively restrained musicianship; Warrel Dane’s aggressive-yet-melodic, helium-lung vocal chops; and a thoroughly dark, stark production boasting an intriguingly cavernous, hallowed and hollowed, gothy guitar sound that leaves plenty of room for the riffs and rhythm section to breathe (with bass guitar — bass! — prevalent in the mix, something that eludes even the best ’80s thrash albums; just ask Jason Newsted). Dane’s impressive and dramatic yowl is deservedly front-and-center — his majestic, but never overbearing voice being the heart and soul of Mirror Black — although equal credit should be given to underrated guitarists Sean Blosl and Lenny Rutledge, who provide the record’s brainpower, balancing aggression, melody, and tasteful soloing without indulging in the overly technical mishmash mosh of their thrash-happy peers. Point is, the creative forces at work here mesh brilliantly, every song hitting the sweet spot between hook and riff: shadowy ballad “Epitaph,” thundering rumbler “Taste Revenge,” sky scraping anthem “Seasons of Destruction,” profound soul-searchers “Communion” and “Long Since Dark” — there isn’t a bad song in the bunch. Depending on one’s point of view, Dane’s lyrical excursions are either profound and poetic or slightly pretentious and overcooked, but his delivery is so convincing and powerful, it’s easy to get swept into his world, which mixes slivered, silvery moons; death; and mysticism with unflinching stares at social mores. Into the Mirror Black is a triumph, a significant improvement over the excesses of the Seattle band’s screechy debut, Refuge Denied; it’s too bad record-label woes would slam the band’s sarcophagus shut, although Dane and bassist Jim Sheppard would extend Sanctuary’s ambition and songwriting sensibilities into the superb Nevermore.

Track list:
1. Future Tense
2. Taste Revenge
3. Long Since Dark
4. Epitaph
5. Eden Lies Obscured
6. The Mirror Black
7. Seasons Of Destruction
8. One More Murder
9. Communion
10. Future Tense-demo 1989
11. I Am Insane-demo 1989
12. The Mirror Black-demo 1989
13. Eden Lies Obscured-live 1990
14. Seasons Of Destruction-live 1990
15. Die For My Sins-live 1990
16. Future Tense-live 1990
17. White Rabbit-live 1990
18. Taste Revenge-live 1990
19. Long Since Dark-live 1990
20. Sanctuary-live 1990
21. One More Murder-live 1990
22. Battle Angels-live 1990

Additional information

Label

Century Media Records

Catalogue Number

Release Year